accident Look up accident at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "an occurrence, incident, event," from O.Fr. accident (12c.), from L. accidentum (nom. accidens, gen. accidentis), prp. of accidere "happen, fall out, fall upon," from ad- "to" + cadere "fall" (see case (1)). Meaning grew from "something that happens, an event," to "something that happens by chance," then "mishap."